


Blood of the Covenant

by mccracken (worthlesstoone)



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-04-22 12:41:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14308845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/worthlesstoone/pseuds/mccracken
Summary: No one is ever warned when their life is irrevocably changed forever. The only sign is a feeling one gets, that everything will soon be different, and Edward Nygma had a funny feeling.Vampire!Nygmobblepot AU





	1. A Dark Road

 No one is ever warned when their life is irrevocably changed forever. The only sign is a feeling one gets, that everything will soon be different. 

Edward Nygma had a funny feeling. He tried to justify it with the dirty shovel in his trunk and the two bodies buried in the woods, one still warm. But something told Ed that it wasn't that. It wasn't the forensic evidence coating his car, like a neon sign screaming 'guilty'. Nor was it his empty stomach, not getting to eat because his picnic was interrupted. 

His hands gripped the steering wheel and he stared blankly at the pitch black road ahead. The lights of the city sparkled in the distance, still very far away. This didn't help Ed's unease. He'd gone into the woods with one body and walked out with a different one. Ed hadn't been prepared to run into Gotham's kingpin in the middle of the woods, or for said gangster to immediately collapse. His clothes had been a wreck, his skin impossibly pale. It was all Ed could do to wrap him  up in his picnic blanket and drag the shorter man the mile and a half back to his car.  

Almost as if he could read his thoughts, the body in the back seat groaned. Ed's eyes flicked to his rear view mirror, watching Oswald shift around in the cramped car. 

"I wouldn't move too much, Mr. Penguin." Ed advised and he was answered with a tired groan.  

Ed had thrown a blanket over his companion, knowing first hand how cold it got being exposed to the elements for hours. Oswald's skin had felt frozen as Ed dragged him to his car. At the memory, Ed reached over and turned up the heat. No sense in rescuing the man to have him freeze to death on the way home. 

More shuffling in the back seat and the car rocked slightly. A low moan turned into a growl and Ed subconsciously shivered. He glanced in the mirror again, but the interior was as dark as the woods they were driving through. The only source of light was the face of the radio, which  only lit up the front seats. Jazz music warbled out of the old machine, the only station available in this remote area. Ed had turned it on to help distract himself from the official departure of his girlfriend. Or ex-girlfriend?  He had yet to figure that out. 

Another growl from the back. Ed's anxiety picked up, screaming at him that he'd taken on more than he could handle. A voice whispered he was a failure, that he couldn't even save one man. His hero.

 "Just a bit longer, we're pretty far from the city." Ed nervously rubbed the steering wheel and adjusted the mirror to show the backseat, not the road behind them. He hadn't seen another car since departing. "We'll get you right as rain." 

"Too far." Oswald panted, and the blankets jerked. Ed sped up slightly, pushing the car over the speed limit. He wouldn't usually break traffic law but this seemed like an exception. He wouldn't forgive himself if he let the Penguin die while in his care. 

"There isn't much more I can do, we just need to-" but Ed was cut off by a sharp pain in his neck. He tried to turn but a pale hand gripped his head, preventing him from moving.

 "Don't move." Oswald ground out, his mouth close to Ed's ear. A tingling sensation came over the tall man and his limbs froze. The car started to drift slowly, and Ed's foot was stuck pressing the gas.  

"Osw-" 

Oswald cut him off by sinking his teeth back into Ed's neck, worryingly close to his jugular. Both men groaned, one in pain and one in pleasure. Ed caught their reflection in the mirror and his dark self was grinning in the backseat, with his thumbs up. 

Ed started to feel lightheaded and he watched the approaching turn in the road, his hands frozen on the wheel. He tried to warn the man attached to his neck, but Oswald slammed his hand over Ed's mouth and growled.  

His limbs wouldn't move an inch and Ed closed his eyes to the inevitable. A loud crunch and intense pain was the last thing Ed remembers before he lost consciousness. 


	2. An Old Barn

Ed jerked awake. His head was pounding, his neck throbbing, and incredibly thirsty. Looking around, he didn't recognize where he was. It seemed to be an empty barn. He was laying on a pile of hay with a blanket thrown over it. In the far corner was a rusted tractor and a large set of wooden doors. 

Ed rubbed his aching neck, and flakes of dried blood came off. He grimaced and looked down. His clothes were covered with dirt and blood, and were ripped in odd places. His shoes were a lost cause, looking as though they'd been dragged through mud for a couple miles. 

A loud sound made Ed's head snap to the door and he scrabbled backwards, fear gripping his lungs. But as the door opened Ed sighed in relief. It was Oswald.

"Thank g-" Ed stopped as the shorter man led in a cow. "What is that?"

Oswald glared at him. "Obviously its a cow."

"Yes I can see that, but why are you bringing it here?" Ed stood up and tried to dust himself off, but it was futile. "And where is here exactly?"

The crime lord raised one eyebrow and shuffled over to the hay and lay down, groaning. "Cow is for food, we're in a barn. Couple miles from where we crashed."

Memories flooded Ed and he gasped. "M-my car?"

"Gone."

"How can it be gone? What happened?"

"It's wrapped around a tree. You drove it straight off the road."

Oswald had the nerve to glare at Ed as if it was his fault. Ed stood over Oswald, both glaring at each other. 

"And whose fault is that?" Ed asked, rubbing his neck again. It really hurt. "And what did you do to me?"

Oswald sighed deeply. "I.. was weak and needed... to eat." 

Ed blinked slowly. "So you're a vampire?"

"Aren't you supposed to be smart?!" Oswald snapped and Ed could see a hint of his fangs. Ed sat down quickly and reached for Oswald before he knew what he was doing. "What are you-"

"Let me see," Ed pressed, grasping Oswald's face carefully. At Oswald's expression Ed added "You owe me for biting me."

"Fine." The crime lord huffed and let Ed open his mouth. He was still hungry so the fangs were fully extended.

"Fascinating." Ed muttered, gently probing the fangs with his fingers. Being in forensics, he wasn't unfamiliar with handling teeth. But these were.. different. They seemed stronger and incredibly sharp. Dangerously sharp. "Oh- oh dear."

Ed pulled back, holding his bleeding index finger. His eyes whipped to Oswald, whose own eyes were laser-focused on the single drop of blood, and no one moved. 

The cow mooed. 

Oswald grimaced and painfully yanked his gaze off of Ed. He carefully rose and walked over to the bovine.

"I'd prefer if you didn't look at this, its rather unbecoming."

"Okay." Ed lied, having no intention of looking away. 

It was interesting seeing Oswald drink from another perspective. It was almost feral, the way Oswald dug into the cow's carotid. The man must have superior strength because he held the animal in place while it tried to escape. It seemed like it should've taken more time to drain an animal that weighed a couple tons, but Oswald made short work of it. He must've been very experienced. Or hungry. Ed hadn't realized he'd crept forward, but now he stood directly behind Oswald. The shorter man was hunched over, seemingly catching his breath from the meal.

"I asked you not to look."

"I was interested."

"Next time I'll have to compel you." Oswald glared up at Ed, who had pulled Oswald's handkerchief out of his pocket and was dabbing the shorter man's bloody face. 

"Is that what you did in the car?" Ed asked excitedly. How could he not be when he was learning so much?

"Yes. I've never compelled someone while they were driving, I forgot you needed to... drive." Oswald looked away, embarrassed, smacking Ed's fussing hands away. 

"No harm no foul." Ed said, then stopped. Why was he comforting the man that had fed off of him and caused him to crash his car? Its not like he was super attached to the old thing, but it was useful in such a large city. 

Oswald gave him a weird look, then stood up slowly. He grimaced at his stiff leg and limped over to the wall. He leaned against it and pulled out his phone and raised it up, searching for a signal. Finding one, he shot off a text. Satisfied, he turned back to Ed, who was lost in thought. 

"Are you ready to go?" "How did I survive the crash?" 

Both men spoke at the same time. Oswald froze and Ed turned to face him. 

"We... have a lot to talk about. But I'd rather do it in a nicer location, wouldn't you?" Oswald stammered out and started shuffling towards the large barn doors. It was just after sunset, the sky still remembering the sun.

"Okay." Ed agreed and followed Oswald out of the barn, the now-dead cow dampening the atmosphere.


	3. A Green Car

As Oswald began to feel better, Ed was steadily feeling worse.

Both men were stumbling along the side of the road back to the city. The sun had set fully, plunging them into darkness. Street lights were spaced evenly along the asphalt, helping them navigate along the shoulder. The woods flanked the road on both sides, making it impossible to see how far they'd traveled. 

It felt like they'd been walking for hours, but the watch on Ed's wrist said that they'd only left the barn a little over 45 minutes prior. Ed missed his car. 

Ed's neck was throbbing, and his head felt like it was being squeezed in a vise. It was all he could do to keep walking forward. Luckily, Oswald's leg kept them at a manageable pace.

"Alright this is ridiculous." Oswald growled, stopping. It took a couple seconds for Ed to register that he'd walked a few steps past the shorter man. He turned to see his companion standing on the edge of the street with his thumb in the air. They stood directly underneath a street light and it cast strange shadows over Oswald's face. He looked... older, yet more distinguished. Like a being of indeterminate power. Was it just the Penguin's natural aura? Or was it the new knowledge that he was a creature of the night?

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Oswald sneered. "There's no way we're walking all the way back to Gotham."

Ed said nothing. He'd never hitchhiked before and anxiety was creeping up his spine. What if a car never came? What if a car did come but the person driving tried to kill them? No one would find their bodies out here, it was too remote. What if-

"You're an idiot." A familiar voice said behind Ed and he whipped around. The dark version of himself was standing next to Oswald, who was too busy trying to flag down an approaching semi-truck to notice Ed's distraction. 

"Why are you here?" Ed whispered angrily at the hallucination, who was smirking. 

"You're really concerned about getting into a car with a murderer? Last I checked you were one and," the vision patted Oswald's shoulder happily. "your partner is one of the most dangerous men in Gotham." 

The semi sped by without stopping and Oswald screamed at it, gesturing wildly. Other Ed smiled fondly at the mobster and Ed crossed his arms defiantly. Of course his mind would mock him now, of all times. Ed turned away from them. His head hurt too much to deal with this. 

"You know, friend, this would be easier if you helped." Oswald said, fake friendliness dripping from his voice. But he turned to find that his tall companion had disappeared into the treeline behind him. 

"Ed?" Oswald called. He was starting to get worried. What if something happened? The road was dark, but the woods were pitch black. He was in no shape to search the area, he could barely walk down the street. He still needed to explain what had happened at the crash. What if Ed had already-

"Mister Penguin!" Ed came crashing out of the trees, dragging something behind him. He was beaming, his smile taking up his whole face. "Look what I found!"

"Don't you ever," Oswald snarled, limping over to the scientist. "disappear like that again." 

Ed's face fell swiftly and Oswald immediately regretted his words. The lanky man had grown on him and Oswald was finding himself increasingly striving to keep his companion safe and happy. Although that probably had more to do with what had happened in the past 24 hours. The dark-haired man took a deep breath. 

"I'm sorry Ed, I was just worried. What did you find?" Oswald said gently. Ed's face lit back up and Oswald found himself smiling too. Ed's excitable energy was almost contagious.

"I found a tarp!" Ed held it up, clearly proud. "It'll help draw attention to us, increasing our chances of getting picked up!" He waved the fabric for emphasis. 

Edward Nygma continued to surprise him.

"Good idea Ed." The man's reaction was instant. His face turned pink, the smile somehow widened even more, and he looked down at the ground as if embarrassed. It was excruciatingly obvious that the man didn't receive compliments often and Oswald silently vowed to change that. It was the least he could do.

A few moments later found the men back at the side of the road. Ed held the tarp up, flapping it and Oswald stood in front, holding his thumb out. Both men knew they looked ridiculous and were glad the chances of someone they knew finding them were slim to none. 

It took a couple of cars but an old green SUV pulled over in front of them. Oswald pointedly ignored Ed's soft "I like the color" and approached the driver's window. It rolled down to reveal an old woman who smiled at them warmly. 

"You boys need a lift?" she asked. Ed smiled back but Oswald bristled at being called boy. A small child sat in the passenger seat, staring up at them. 

"Yes ma'am." Ed said. "Us boys would appreciate a ride." Oswald glared at him and he smirked back.

"Wonderful! Hop in!" the woman said happily. 

The two murderers climbed into the old woman's car. Ed settled in behind the driver's seat and Oswald collapsed next to him. He gently rubbed his leg, wincing. The boy in the front seat hadn't taken his eyes off of Oswald. The car was quiet for a few moments as the woman got them back onto the road. The interior was lit up every few seconds by a passing street lamp. It was what Ed's mother would call a 'gently used'. The seats were worn but well preserved. They squeaked if you moved too much. 

"Where are you headed?" the lady asked.

"Gotham City." Oswald said.

"Preferably the west side." Ed added. They'd agreed to head to his apartment.

"We live in the north by the financial district, but we can certainly drop you off on the way. Isn't that right Michael?" she turned to the little boy. The child didn't respond to her, but pointed at Oswald.

"Why do you walk funny?"

The car was deathly silent. Oswald tensed and opened his mouth angrily.

"Because," Ed said quickly, cutting the crime lord off. "we were just in a car accident and he isn't feeling well. Neither of us are actually." Ed laughed nervously and rubbed his neck, which was still throbbing slowly.

The boy and Oswald had a minor staring contest but the woman grabbed his shoulder and turned him. As she started reprimanding him about manners, Ed looked over at Oswald, who was visibly shaking. Ed was keenly aware that he was the only one in the car who knew what Oswald was capable of. 

Ed had been researching Oswald Cobblepot for months. He had started at the library, reading all of the newspaper clippings about him. After that, he'd moved on to the files at the GCPD. They were more comprehensive and gave him an excuse to talk to Kristen. Ed had since memorized the man's criminal record. Oswald's attributed crimes included racketeering, aggravated assault, and homicide. But Ed had never seen anything related to violence towards children, so this was uncharted territory.

The old woman was still lecturing her grandchild so Ed felt comfortable leaning in towards Oswald. 

"Are you okay?" Ed whispered.

"I've killed people for less." Oswald muttered defiantly, trying to fix his disheveled appearance for the hundredth time that day.

"Well I'm thankful for your self-control." Ed responded. "I don't feel like experiencing another car crash this soon." 

"It's not ideal, no." Oswald said and turned towards Ed. "Thank you." He didn't say what for, but he didn't need to. Ed awkwardly patted his shoulder.

"No problem." 

The car was silent for a while. The old woman felt embarrassed, the young boy was pouting, Oswald was busy getting dirt out from under his fingernails with a knife, and Ed was appreciating the view out the windows. The woman turned the radio up to fill the awkward silence. It was the same jazz station Ed had been listening to the night before.

Oswald leaned over to Ed, grinning mischievously.

"Did I ever tell you about the last time I hitch hiked back to Gotham?"


	4. An Uncomfortable Couch

"Doesn't that get annoying?" Oswald gestured to the pulsing green light shining through the windows. He scoffed. "My god Ed, you don't even have curtains." 

"I like it." The taller man responded, disappearing through the only other doorway in the studio apartment. The sound of a shower starting up made Oswald jump. He came back out and shifted his weight between his feet. 

"Would you like to go first? We aren't exactly in the best of shape." Ed asked politely. 

"Go ahead Ed." Oswald insisted, noticing Ed's discomfort with his dirty clothes. He nodded thankfully and practically ran to the bathroom. 

Oswald took his time exploring his new companion's apartment. Most of the furniture looked utilitarian, like Ed had pilfered pieces from an old hospital. The only visible creature comforts were an old piano, a record player, and a handmade quilt that was draped on the bed. Wandering over to the piano, Oswald played a couple chords. The keys were well-worn and yellowing from age.

 The kitchen was fairly minimal, which suited the crime lord just fine. Food was useless to him, simply an aesthetic. He was still fascinated with it though. After decades of a blood only diet, Oswald found himself missing textures and competing flavors. Blood was delicious but you couldn't spice it up or pair it with a nice wine. 

 The fridge held only a can of peaches and leftover takeout boxes. The man's diet made Oswald cringe, no wonder he was so thin. In the distance the shower shut off. Oswald closed the fridge sadly and collapsed on the couch. Instantly sinking, Oswald sighed. He really needed to talk to his host about function over form. This couch was dreadful.

 The bathroom door opened and out walked Ed Nygma in a white t-shirt and pajama pants. He looked much more at-ease in fresh clothes. The man walked over to the kitchen, rubbing a towel in his hair. He threw a bag in the garbage, and Oswald caught a glimpse of his ruined clothes disappearing into the bin. After grabbing a glass of water, Ed sank into the couch next to him.

 "I would offer you some, but I don't think you can drink it?" Ed lilted his voice questioningly. Oswald shook his head and he smirked. His assumption was correct. He took a sip and Oswald realized his cup was a beaker. Of course it was.

 The room was quiet for a couple moments as Ed celebrated his cleverness. Oswald spent the time wondering how such a large ego could fit in such a nervous man. It was like he was dealing with two different people sometimes. 

"I don't know how to start this," Ed began. "I'm just not used to talking with a.. vampire. In my apartment." 

"Ed-" 

"Sorry!" Ed's hands fidgeted with his beaker. He folded his long legs up underneath him. The anxious man was back. "I don't know if that word is okay to say or not. Is it a bad word?" 

"Maybe-" Oswald sighed. "Maybe it'll help you calm down if you ask me some questions? I'll try to be as honest as possible." 

Ed lit up instantly. A mystery. He grinned, nervous ticks subsiding.

 "Do you really drink blood?"

 "Exclusively." Oswald eyed the wine on Ed's counter with an almost mournful sorrow. 

"How long have you been... like this?" Ed scooted forward slightly. 

"About fifteen years?" Oswald was struggling to remember. "Those first few years were rough, I can barely remember them." 

"Why? What happened?" Ed's eyebrows furrowed and he scooted forward slightly.

 "The person who turned me didn't exactly stick around." Cold anger pooled in Oswald's eyes. He wasn't looking at anything in the apartment, he was reliving memories. "A fledgeling vampire is bad enough, but if there isn't anyone looking out for you its almost impossible to survive."

 "But you did." Ed was enthralled, his eyes shining. Oswald's eyes drifted and made contact with Ed's. 

"I did." Oswald agreed. He shifted, squirming uncomfortably. "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. The things I saw, the things I did..." He trailed off, the past overwhelming. Ed grasped his shaking hands and his head shot up.

 "The ends justify the means, Mr. Penguin. You're here now. With me." Ed squeezed his cold hand. "I'll help you. You don't have to be alone anymore."

 Oswald inhaled sharply, which was a stupid reflex. Ed's scent clouded Oswald's mind. The memory of how Ed's blood tasted filled his mouth and he felt his fangs elongate. Ed's eyes widened but he didn't release Oswald's shaking hand. The brunette actually moved forward and placed his left hand gently on Oswald's cheek. Using his forefinger and thumb, he pulled back Oswald's lips to stare at his fangs. The older man was very careful not to inhale, barely keeping himself together.

 "Fascinating." Ed muttered and Oswald had to hold back a groan, which was surprisingly difficult when the person you're hiding from is examining your mouth.

 Ed leaned forward even more and released their hands to brace himself against Oswald's good knee. Everywhere he touched felt like fire to the vampire, who was so touch-starved that he felt like he was going to combust. "Ed-" He warned but the taller man shushed him.

 They spent a few minutes like that; Ed holding Oswald's lips back and examining his mouth. After focusing, Oswald was able to will the thirst away and retract his teeth back to normal. Ed let out an impressed whistle, his eidetic memory cataloging everything for future examination. "Does it hurt when you shift your teeth?"

 "Not really." Oswald was grateful as Ed removed his hands. Licking his lips, the faint trace of Ed remained and Oswald had to concentrate not to repeat what just happened. "It isn't comfortable but I'm used to it."

 Ed seemed to think for a bit. 

"Is there an anti-coagulant in your saliva? Or a numbing agent? When you bit me it didn't hurt near as much as it should have." Ed leaned over to the coffee table and started jotting down thoughts and theories. A lot of lines ended in question marks, which Ed overemphasized. "I'd like to run some experiments in the future. If you don't mind." Ed added the last part at Oswald's expression.

 The crime lord sighed and leaned back into the uncomfortable couch. "That depends," he smirked. "whats in it for me?" There was a pregnant pause and Oswald regretted teasing his companion.

 "I'll- I'll let you drink my blood. Again." Ed's nerves were back. Oswald froze. Ed wouldn't look directly at him but his face was very pink. Distractingly pink.

 Shaking his head, Oswald turned away. "Thanks but no thanks, friend."

 The taller man frowned, looking almost offended. "Why not? That didn't stop you before. Actually you seemed quite keen."

 Now it was Oswald's turn to be embarrassed. He frowned to try to hide it and thanked the stars that he couldn't blush. In contrast, Ed's face was darker, his ears a bright red. "Yeah well now things are different."

 "Whats different? It's still blood, you don't have to go out and hunt it down. You aren't in any condition to go grab another cow." Ed was talking quickly, trying to rationalize his reasoning. Oswald couldn't tell if he was more hurt over the rejection or the chance that he'd miscalculated. 

"It's not like that." Oswald sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

 Ed stood up and crossed the room quickly. He grabbed a book off the shelf with a bat on the cover and paged through it angrily. "See! It says clearly that-"

 Frustrated, Oswald snapped. 

"How do you think you survived that crash, Ed?" 

A beat. 

"W-what?" Ed was frozen, his face draining of color. Those impossibly soft brown eyes wide open. 

"You never saw the car afterwards. Well, it was barely a car." Oswald laughed humorlessly. "I didn't want you to see it. And you were barely shaped like a man." Oswald stood up and started pacing. Ed dropped the book he held with a loud thump and his knees started wobbling slightly. His eyes were wide but his brows were furrowed in confusion and horror.

 "Did I die?" Ed asked quietly. Oswald couldn't bring himself to speak so he just nodded. Ed exhaled heavily and braced himself against the large table next to him. "So how am I here?"

 "I had to give you some of my blood to heal you. It brought you back." Oswald turned to fully face Ed, but the taller man's back was to him. Unable to read his expression, Oswald grit his teeth and braced himself for whatever was to come. "So I saved you and dragged you to that godforsaken barn. I couldn't just let you die after you saved me from the woods. And I may have contributed to the crash."

 Ed didn't say anything, he was still leaning on the table. His shoulders were shaking slightly but Oswald couldn't tell what emotion was behind it.

 "Ed?"

 The younger man slowly turned around and as their eyes met Oswald saw tears pooling along the edges. "Mr. Penguin what am I?"

 Oswald walked over and stood next to Ed. He rubbed his face and looked up at his friend. "Honestly? I don't know. I've never done this before. I would guess you're half vampire and half human?"

 This didn't help Ed calm down. He reached over and shakily took a sip of water.

 "Okay." Oswald raised his eyebrows, not expecting that.

 "What-" 

"You said you didn't know more. I just need to do some research on it." Ed still looked miserable and his hands were shaking as he wiped tears from his face. Oswald's heart twinged. "Do you know where I can find more information about this?" The crime lord laughed. 

"Not really. They don't exactly have a book at Gotham Central Library. I had to learn everything by myself. I can try to contact others and see-" 

"No." Ed cut him off. "We'll do just fine by ourselves. I can barely handle one vampire, let alone more." 

He picked up the book off the floor and brushed the dust off. It was Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'. Oswald laughed.

 "Were you really going to use that in an argument? You know we can't turn into other animals, right?"

 "It was all I had on hand!" Ed snapped, his ears turning red again. He put it back on the shelf and leaned against the table next to the shorter man. "This actually benefits me."

 Oswald spun to look at Ed, not sure if he heard correctly. "This helps you how?"

 "I actually wanted your help with something." 

Ed grinned maliciously and Oswald couldn't help his own grin escaping. "Oh?"

 "I'm thinking of going into the criminal profession."

 Both men stood there, the green light out the window bathing them in an warm green glow. The light reflected beautifully off of Ed's drying tear tracks. They grinned at each other.

 "Now that, my dear friend, I _can_ help you with."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments and kudos! Will try to update every couple of days. 
> 
> I was looking at reference photos of Ed's apartment and the boy doesn't have one (1) bookshelf? unrrrrealistic


	5. A Normal Day

Edward Nygma's first day back at the GCPD was frustrating.

He'd had to talk to Captain Barnes about his unexcused absence, which was easy to justify since there were records of the car crash.

James Gordon and Harvey Bullock had been assigned to investigate Ed's case as punishment for some rogue action Jim had done. Unsurprisingly, they hadn't looked too far into it.

"We were fairly certain that whoever had been driving was dead." Jim mentioned. He was leaning back in his chair, fiddling with his tie. Ed was hunched over next to him, signing release forms to finalize the case.

"More like hoping." Harvey muttered, barely looking up from a new file open on his desk.

Ed clenched his fists. "There were no bodies. Surely that would-"

"Yeah well our forensics guy was MIA so there wasn't much to go off of." Harvey grumbled. He still hadn't even looked at Ed since Barnes had walked him  over.

Ed paged through the half-assed report angrily, but slowed. There were pictures of the crime scene and Oswald was right. The car was nothing more than a green chunk of metal wrapped around the base of a tree. His dirty shovel was barely visible sticking out from under where the trunk should be.

Ed was suddenly thankful they hadn't run a forensics team out of a different precinct. Even a child with  a black light could figure out that there had been a body in that car. Several bodies, actually.  He released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, and grinned. He had already gotten away with killing Kristen. Someone in the department disappeared and the culprit was right under their nose, they were just too stupid to figure it out.

The taller man finished his signature with a flourish and slid the papers over to the detective.

A voice screamed in his ear that he was being too obvious and he froze. Jim was looking up at  him and Ed could practically see the gears turning in his head. Too bad he was too slow.

"I was just about to get rid of that car," Ed lied quickly. He tried to school his features to a more neutral expression. "And I'm not too injured, so it was nothing big."

Jim nodded slowly and looked over the report. "Well I'm glad to have you back, Ed."

Ed grinned and stood up straight. There was a noise as Jim kicked his partner from under the desks.

"Oh- yeah Ed. We missed ya." Harvey sneered, finally looking up from his file. Ed could now see that it was a magazine stuck inside the manilla folder. "It was _really_  quiet without you. Got a lot of work done."

Ed's face melted into an expression of cool indifference. "When I'm first said, I'm quite mysterious, but when I'm explained, I'm nothing serious. What am I?"

Harvey rolled his eyes and Jim groaned. 

"A riddle." Ed explained, not taking his eyes off Harvey. "If you were even semi-competent at your job, you'd have realized that my license plate said 'riddle lover', an homage to my love of riddles. Coincidentally I was also missing from the case. Why am I not amazed that you can't seem to put two things together without someone else doing the thinking for you."

The precinct had gone silent as Ed had spoken, his voice deathly calm and his eye contact unwavering from the bearded detective. Harvey stood up angrily and Jim jumped between the two men. "Woah, woah, woah."

Jim ushered Harvey away, other cops gathering around them. Every so often someone would look back at Ed who was standing by himself with his fists clenched. 

Ed was breathing heavily, his adrenaline pounding through his veins. A familiar voice whispered in his ear ' _Good job Eddie. Finally grew a spine_.'

He looked behind him into the reflection of the Captain's glass doors. His other self stood there, gleefully rubbing his hands together. For all the fighting they did, Ed always felt a strange sense of peace when He was happy. They shared a maniacal smile.

A hand on his shoulder caused Ed to whirl around. It was Jim Gordon. He almost looked embarrassed. "Listen Ed. I'm sorry we didn't focus on the case but for what its worth I'm glad you're alive."

Jim smiled and Ed was able to calm his parasympathetic system. "Thank you detective. No one is more happy for me to be alive than myself." 

_'Well, maybe there's one person-'_

Jim shuffled the papers on his desk together and lead Ed away from the main room where Harvey was glaring at them over the shoulder of a cop he was talking to. 

"So what were you doing so far out of town?"

Jim's question made Ed stop abruptly. "Excuse me?"

"Well you were a couple miles out, barely in our jurisdiction. The folks out there transferred it to us because they ironically didn't have a forensics team available. It was kind of weird."

"Well if you must know," Ed bristled. " I was looking for Ms. Kringle. She hasn't returned any of my calls." 

Jim raised an eyebrow. "That far out? That's basically the middle of nowhere."

"W-we had a picnic there once. I wanted to see if she was there." Lying was never one of Ed's strong-suits. He was much better at only giving small bits of truth and letting others' assumptions lie for him. 

 _'Oh shes there alright.'_ a voice said smugly, which Ed ignored.

Jim's eyebrows shot down, furrowing into his now iconic Detective Gordon glare. "Do you think something happened?"

Ed forced himself to act worried. His rising anxiety helped with the ruse. "I-I'm not sure. Its been a couple days." 

Jim pulled out his notebook and pen and jot down a couple sentences. Ed tried to lean over to see what he was writing but Jim put it away quickly. 

"Tell you what, Ed." Jim pat Ed's shoulder roughly but in the weirdly masculine way that Ed had seen other officers reassure each other. Ed had been jealous up until this very moment, his shoulder stinging. "To make up for me dropping the ball on your accident, I'll personally investigate Kristen's appearance." 

Ed's eyes widened and he suddenly felt light headed. His pulse was pounding in his ears, surely Jim could hear it. "Oh no Detective, you don't have to-"

"I want to Ed." Jim smiled reassuringly at the now very pale Edward Nygma. "Let me do this for you."

"Okey dokey." Ed croaked out.

Jim gave him a thumbs up and walked back to his desk. 

' _He has to go_.' the voice was angry. Both Eds watched Jim and Harvey bicker. It was obviously over him. Ed said nothing and went to his office. He had a lot of cases to catch up on.

* * *

 

Almost ten hours later found Ed pouring over blood samples in the lab. He'd gotten his work done early and was staying late to scientifically investigate what Oswald had told him. 

He was comparing samples of his own blood with cultures from the general population. From regular humans. It was looking promising until a knock at the door distracted the specialist.

Lee Thompkins crept in the room carrying two cups of coffee. "Hey Ed, mind if I join you?"

Ed couldn't help but smile at a pretty woman asking to spend time with him. "Of course."

He pulled a stool up to where he was sitting and Lee sat down graciously. She handed one of the cups to Ed and took a sip of her own. Ed looked down at the coffee, surprised. Lee had figured out how he like his coffee just by seeing him drinking it. 

"Th-thank you." he stammered and took a sip. Delicious. No cream and three sugars.

Lee smiled and nudged her head towards the microscope. "Stealing my job again?"

"No, no, this is a.... personal project." Ed shifted the papers he'd been writing on so that Lee couldn't see. He pretended to be straightening them out. 

Lee raised one eyebrow. "Anything I can help with?"

"I'm actually just fine, Ms. Thompkins but thank you." Ed had barely gotten a chance to examine his blood, he didn't want someone else to figure something out before him. 

"Okay well you seem tense, Ed." Lee looked concerned and she gently put her hand on Ed's shoulder in a strange parallel to what Jim had done earlier. "I heard about Kristen."

Ed's eyes widened but otherwise he didn't move. 

"I'm just saying if you want to talk about it, you know where I'll be." Lee's voice was gentle and inviting. Almost like a mother.

Ed opened his mouth but was interrupted by singing. His phone was going off. The caller ID said 'Peter H.' and Ed stood up. "I need to take this."

Lee nodded, confused. 

Flipping the phone open, Ed started grabbing all his papers and cultures. "Hey whats up?"

"Whats up? Why- Is someone there?" Oswald's voice came through the flip phone. Ed squeezed the phone to his ear to try and mask the sound. Oswald had a distinctive way of talking and the last thing Ed needed was Lee telling people he had the mob boss on speed dial.

"Yes, I'm  almost done. Just finishing up that project I told you about." Ed grabbed his coffee off the table and did a mock toast to Lee to say thank you. She was staring at him, her eyes fixed on the phone.

"Is that Kristen?" she asked and Ed was relieved she couldn't hear Oswald's voice. He shook his head no and tried to shove all his papers into his bag. 

"Ed you need to come home, I need your help with something." Ed backed out of the lab with his bag over his shoulder. He walked with one hand holding the phone to his head and the other carrying a still full plastic cup of coffee. 

"Okay it's going to be about twenty minutes before I'll be back. Do you need anything along the way?" Ed pointedly ignored all of the cops crowded around Bullock's desk. They all glared at him as he walked by, but he was going too fast to care. Oswald needed him. 

"Hey Ed!" Jim Gordon called out, and jogged over.

Ed was very tense. Oswald wasn't helping. "Oh is that my friend Jim Gordon? Put him on!" 

"I will not." Ed ground into the phone before turning towards the detective. "Yes?"

"I wanted to prove that I'm  taking this investigation seriously." Jim said and Ed's blood pressure rose. "I called around and no one has seen Kristen since last week. You might be onto something."

"Well of course, I'm her boyfriend she should call me." Ed blurted, too excited at being right. "I mean, I knew something was wrong."

"We'll solve this, Ed." Jim smiled and patted his shoulder. Again. 

_'What is it with cops and shoulders?'_

"I look forward to it, Detective." Ed's smile dropped as soon as Jim's back was to him. He pulled the phone back up to his ear, ignoring Oswald shouting Jim's name to try to talk to him. "Mr. Penguin, we have a problem."

 


	6. An Attack in the Mist

It was raining softly. The resulting mist gave everything a soft eerie glow. If one was walking past a certain alleyway, they may have thought it to be empty. They may have missed the tall man tucked behind a door frame. The only hint that he was there was a soft cloud appearing on every exhale.

Shadows played over the man, concealing the crowbar he had hidden behind his back. He tested the weight of it in his hands. Dark brown eyes darted around the empty street ahead, waiting for an opportunity to strike. 

For morally questionable intentions, Gotham always provided.

A woman ducked down the alley, chancing a shortcut. Her arms were thrown over her head to try and shield her hair from the rain. She swore as she stepped in a puddle and looked down at her shoes.

There was no hesitation, not even enough time for a scream before the woman was knocked to the ground. Her blood mixed with the rainwater. She whimpered softly, which got her another strike from the crowbar. 

The tall man was breathing heavily, winded from the attack. Clouded huffs took on the colors of the neon lights above him. He stood over the motionless woman for a few seconds before a distant police siren reminded him to get to work. 

Also hidden in the doorway was a folded body bag, which was used to wrap the woman up in. It took a few minutes since she was heavier than the man was strong, but it was done. 

The man pushed his soaked hair out of his eyes and tried to wipe the mist off his glasses, but only succeeded in smearing them. Frustrated, he kicked the body before him. 

The doorway was suddenly occupied, and a shorter man stood there. He was completely dry, having avoided the weather. The door behind him was splayed open. 

The taller man barely reacted to the arrival, he just bent down and started slowly dragging the bag inside. The red trail mixed with the rain and disappeared quickly. 

The shorter man moved aside to make room and he checked the alley for potential witnesses. Besides a few rats behind a trash can, they were safe. 

"You know I've never worked with someone who packages their targets so efficiently." The smaller man commented, closing the door behind them. 

The other man pretended not to be pleased and dropped the bag once they were inside. He then stretched his back. "Call it habit."

There was a beat of silence before the bespectacled man took off his plaid jacket and groaned, shivering. "Mr. Penguin, I'm freezing."

The shorter man, Oswald Cobblepot, was exploring the inside of the closed grocer. His accomplice had wiped down every surface they would use before they had arrived. "Complain to someone who cares, Ed. I'm always freezing."

Ed Nygma rolled his eyes as he laid his jacket out on a chair behind the door. Already a puddle was forming below it. "You can only play that card so many times before it gets old."

"I literally live forever in a cursed existence. I can play that card however many times I need to- and if you didn't want to be cold, then don't choose a night where its raining."

"The rain helps isolate individuals, muffle any noise, and keeps blood from drying which aides in cleanup." Ed retorted without looking up from the sink in the bathroom where he was rinsing off his crowbar. "If I wanted to get caught and thrown in Blackgate then we could've done it another night."

There was a snicker and Ed thrust his head out of the bathroom. Oswald stood there, both hands tucked into his suit pockets. He still managed to look regal in a dusty grocery store, which annoyed Ed to no end. "What?"

"Blackgate?" the vampire grinned, flashing his elongated fangs. "Isn't Arkham more your cup of tea?"

Ed shut the water off for the sink. He wiped his hands on a clean towels he had planted inside the store, just so he could dry himself. "Probably. But lets avoid it, if we can."

"Agreed." Oswald stepped closer to their prey and opened the zipper. 

The woman lay there, still unconscious. Ed walked over and checked her pulse.

"Still alive." he confirmed before stepping away to dry himself with the spare towels. 

Oswald leaned down and kissed the woman's forehead gently. As he gathered her up in his arms, Ed leant against the counter to watch. He absentmindedly rubbed his hair with a floral towel. 

The woman's eyes opened just as the vampire bit into her neck. She gasped loudly and her entire body tensed up. Blood dripped down her neck and disappeared below her shirt collar. Ed followed it carefully with his eyes. Her body spasmped in time to Oswald's drinking pattern. The older man was lost in the act, his eyes closed. 

Ed stood and walked over slowly, his eyes never leaving the woman's chest which was growing red with the blood runoff. He crouched down across from Oswald and reached out to touch her abdomen. A low snarl made him look up and lock eyes with Oswald. 

Without blinking, Ed rested his hand against her ribcage.

Oswald continued to drink, Ed continued to stare, and the woman continued to die.

The vampire pulled away from her neck just before Ed felt her heart stop beating. 

There was a quiet moment as each man collected his thoughts. Oswald was reminded that he was never fully sated, just staved off and willed his fangs away. Edward was trying to focus on how his plan had gone off perfectly and not how much he wanted to lick his red fingers. 

Ed stood up first and went to wash his hands before he did something he'd been told for years not to do.

Oswald sat on the floor, holding the lifeless body. He slowly slid her back into the body bag and heard something fall to the floor. It was a wallet. He opened it to see her smiling up at him, her drivers license in a clear compartment in front of her assorted credit cards. Somehow knowing her name didn't make him feel better and he slid the wallet back into the woman's jacket pocket. 

A towel flopped into his lap and he looked up. Ed stood before him, miming wiping his mouth. 

"I know how to wipe my mouth."

"Oh good, I thought you forgot." Ed said sarcastically before stepping around Oswald and gathering all the evidence of their evening. He glanced back to make sure the vampire was cleaning himself up, which he was. He'd learned that Oswald could get distracted after he drank, so it was up to Ed to make sure there wasn't any trace that they were there, and that Oswald took care of himself.

Once everything was gathered, Oswald stood up and turned to his companion. "Ed, thank you for helping me with this."

"No problemo." Ed gave him a thumbs up. He dumped all of the towels into the bag next to the woman and sealed it up. "I get practice and you get a meal. Its a textbook mutualistic relationship. Two species working together."

The vampire smiled at the human and brushed off his pants. They then worked together in rolling the body bag into the basement where there just so happened to be some foundation work being done. The bag slipped perfectly into a staked out pit and Ed turned on the concrete mixer. 

"I'm forever amazed with your attention to details, Mr. Nygma. You spoil me for other accomplices." Oswald said loudly over the loud hum.

Once the bag was sufficiently covered, Ed turned off the machine . He'd crafted a letter to be left to the owners and contractor, saying a worker had accidentally gotten ahead of schedule on a shift. He turned back to the smaller man and smiled, but the humor didn't reach his eyes. 

"Thats the plan."

* * *

 

Across Gotham, a man's girlfriend never came home. He called the police multiple times until someone would take him seriously, most saying "It's Gotham, people disappear pal." 

Finally he got someone to listen to him and he drove in a few hours later to speak with one Officer James Gordon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I was going through some personal stuff but I'm back.   
> Thanks for your patience! The boys are back-back-back


	7. A Casual Conversation

"Hey Ed." 

Ed Nygma almost dropped the file he was holding, but managed to catch it. 

The GCPD had been swamped all day, with officers running around the main floor. Ed had taken refuge by his desk upstairs, which thankfully masked the commotion. He whirled around to find Jim Gordon leaning against a file cabinet next to his desk.

"Jim! Uh, hi?"

The detective took a sip from a mug of coffee he held and tried to smile, although it looked more like a grimace. "Sorry to bug you at your desk. Although this is a first, huh?"

The taller man tried to laugh but it sounded like a cough. It was a weird feeling having someone seek him out instead of the other way around. "I didn't think you knew where my desk was, to be honest. The only people who visit me are Lee and-"

He stopped himself but not quickly enough. Jim raised an eyebrow and Ed sighed.

"And Kristen." He finished, avoiding eye contact with the officer.

"Thats actually why I'm here, Ed. I wanted to give you an update on our investigation."

He said 'our' as if Ed had put him up to this, but there was nothing he wanted more than for the whole thing to go away.

"Oh?" Ed managed.

"Yeah its weird," Jim began. He cleared off a corner of the desk so he could sit there and Ed glared at the action. "No note, no messages to anyone she knew. Just... gone. Nothing packed up or out of the ordinary at her apartment either."

Ed nodded, pretending everything he was hearing was new information. A voice in his head called him an idiot for not covering his tracks more. Another voice argued that they'd been too busy with Oswald to focus on anything other than the vampire.

Jim cleared his throat, obviously waiting for a response.

"That is troubling. She didn't tell me when she left either." The same voice in his head screamed at him to control the situation. "But she kept bringing up Officer Dougherty and was trying to figure out where he went." 

Not a complete lie.

Jim nodded and scratched his chin. "Yeah Lee said the same thing. I was just hoping you'd found out something new since our last talk. Don't tell anyone I said this, but you can solve mysteries faster than most of our detectives."

It was impossible to hide the blush forming on Ed's face so he looked away. He hadn't expected that. "Thank you Detective. I've been a little busy so I haven't had as much free time to investigate."

Jim's expression relaxed and he took another sip from his coffee. "So watcha been up to?"

Anxiety creeped up Ed's spine, but he stomped it down. Jim was honestly curious, this was a bonding moment. The scientist would've killed for this a few weeks ago. Now he just wanted the officer to go away. "I've been looking for a new car. I'm getting a new appreciation for how big the city is."

The officer smirked. "Yeah I've seen you coming in on your bike. How has that been with the rain?"

"Not ideal." Ed grit out, although he was managing fine. Oswald had forced him to get a raincoat after their last 'outing'. 

Jim tried his smile/grimace again. "No matter what the other guys say, I think its great. Lee says biking is healthier too."

Ed glared up at Jim through his eyebrows. "I wasn't aware anyone was saying anything about my riding a bike to work."

Jim's eyes widened. "Oh- then forget I said anything."

There was an awkward silence. Both men could hear the noise from the first floor. There was a loud grunt and someone yelled "Where's Gordon?"

Ed pretended to look at a file in front of him and Jim cleared his throat.

"Well, I just wanted to follow up on the Kringle case." Jim got up and tried to fix Ed's desk back to the way it was quickly. Ed subconsciously relaxed at the gesture.

"Thanks detective. Keep me updated." He pretended to salute, and the officer mirrored with a crisper version.

"Will do. Oh!" Jim stopped at the top of the stairs and spun back around. "Watch out on the west side. I know you live over there. Theres been a bunch of disappearances. Like more than usual. Stay safe, you never know what could be out there."

Jim waved and disappeared down to the main floor.

Ed was frozen, thoughts flitting through his brain faster than he could focus on a single one. Quickly he pulled out his phone and sent a text:

_Friend,_

_Remind me to get you take out from somewhere else in the city. Our current place is getting too popular._

_-Ed_

He snapped the phone shut and turned back to his desk. But it was impossible to focus on his current cases. They were too simple. So instead he printed out a map of Gotham and set about making a system where he could spread out their area of focus. 

It took almost 15 minutes but he finally felt confident about his new plan. No more room to mess up. He was going to take this seriously and keep them both safe.

Ed's phone buzzed and he checked it.

_Dear Friend,_

_Excellent idea. I've heard theres a great place in the diamond district. Care to join me tonight?_

He shot back a 'yes' without thinking and logged off his computer. 

Looks like they'd have plenty to talk about over 'dinner'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jim is trying his best.  
> Also big r.i.p. to the 'rddle lvr' car. Gone but not forgotten


End file.
